Councillor Michael Tower
In a narrow 5-4 vote Tuesday, Tantramar Town Council decided against urging the immediate cancellation of the proposed, 500 MW gas/diesel generating plant near Centre Village on the Chignecto Isthmus.
The decision came after Councillor Michael Tower moved a motion, seconded by Councillor Bruce Phinney, calling on the town to send letters to Premier Holt with copies to other officials:
I move that Council send formal letters to Premier Susan Holt with copies to Minister Gilles Lepage and Minister René Legacy, MP Dominic LeBlanc, CEO of NB Power Lori Clark and NB Power’s Board of Directors and CEO of PROENERGY Jeff Canon, urging the immediate cancellation of the proposed Centre Village Renewable Integration and Grid Security Project.
The letter shall further request that NB Power prioritize the use of wind and solar energy generation, supported by the proven battery energy storage system, BESS.
Furthermore, council requests that Premier Susan Holt meet with council to discuss the project in person.
Lengthy debate
Members of council spent just over 48 minutes debating Tower’s motion as well as one from Mayor Andrew Black seeking — on procedural grounds — to delay a vote until the next regular council meeting on October 14th.
Black’s motion was defeated in a 5-4 vote clearing the way for the main debate on Tower’s urging the immediate cancellation of the proposed gas/diesel generating plant.
Here is a summary of some of the main arguments:
Councillor Tower said he spoke to many residents in town who were overwhelmingly opposed to the project, with only one person expressing support. He added that at their open houses, PROENERGY, the company that would build and operate the plant, did not have convincing answers when he raised the possibility of using battery energy storage systems instead of fossil fuels to back up renewable sources such as solar and wind.
Tower also expressed concerns that wells in Tantramar would be depleted and polluted by the gas plant potentially destroying the livelihoods of people in Midgic and he suggested that a fossil-fuel burning plant did not fit with the area’s United Nations designation as a Ramsar City wetland site.
Lack of Indigenous support
Councillor Allison Butcher. Note: Council cameras were not working, so this and the following photos in this report are from previous council meetings
Councillor Allison Butcher expressed concern that the proponents of the project had said there was Indigenous support for it when it turned out later that wasn’t true. She also said the project was being put forward as green energy when it’s about burning greenhouse gas emitting fossil fuels.
Butcher also pointed to NB Power’s decision to award the contract to an American company in a political climate in which Canada is trying to be more self-sufficient.
“Nothing about it feels right for our community and I don’t like to think that I am a NIMBY kind of person, not in my backyard. I don’t think this should be in anyone’s backyard but I am elected to look after this backyard and I do not want this here,” Butcher said.
Councillor Bruce Phinney said it really stuck in his craw that the proponents had claimed Indigenous support. He also objected to the contract with an American company and accused NB Power of not being honest while making costly mistakes and then raising power rates.
Councillor Josh Goguen said the vast majority of people he had spoken to were against the project and he questioned why solar power could not provide needed energy.
Experts should decide
Councillor Matt Estabrooks
Deputy Mayor Matt Estabrooks argued strongly against opposing the gas/diesel plant. He said no one on council had the expertise to pass judgment on the project and suggested it should be left to the federal and provincial experts to determine whether it would meet all the necessary environmental requirements.
Estabrooks also argued that council should wait until it had the chance to hear directly from PROENERGY about the use of natural gas turbines as “a proven environmentally conscious companion” to back up renewable energy sources.
“As councillors that is our job to listen, to understand and then make the best long and short-term decision based on the facts for the betterment of all residents. We are elected officials, we are not activists, we are not environmental experts. We must not be swayed by populist or perceived populist interest,” Estabrooks said, adding that the gas plant project would contribute between $350 and $400 million to the local community over the next 25 years.
In a brief statement, Councillor Barry Hicks said he agreed with Estabrooks and that council should wait for the results of the provincial environmental impact assessment (EIA).
Councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell agreed that council should wait for the results of the EIA and also speak to the premier and the minister of the environment.
No local jurisdiction
Mayor Andrew Black
Mayor Black argued that taking a stand on the power project exceeded council’s jurisdiction.
“This motion is urging the immediate cancellation of the project, a power that local governments do not have the authority to dictate,” he said.
“The motion also requests that NB Power prioritizes the use of wind and solar energy supported by the proven battery energy storage system. Local governments cannot dictate how a business, any business, handles their affairs. We do not have the power or authority to do this.”
While Black said he celebrated the work of local groups in bringing their concerns directly to Premier Holt, he added:
“The activism to stop this project or to advance it lies in the hands of our provincially and federally elected officials, not with local governments, without the power and authority to act.”
When the mayor called the vote on Councillor Tower’s motion, the majority voted against it:
Nays: Andrew Black, Matt Estabrooks, Debbie Wiggins-Colwell, Barry Hicks, Greg Martin.
Yeas: Michael Tower, Bruce Phinney, Allison Butcher, Josh Goguen.
Note: This is a preliminary report. My next one will include reaction from those opposing the proposed gas/diesel plant as well as a full transcript of the council debate.
No one was suggesting Council dictate anything to anyone, neither a business nor a government. The Mayor is wrong to use that word. The motion was to request and urge, to show the will of a community that will certainly be affected in negative as well as positive ways. Your community has been misled by members of your Council to submit to an illegal contract under United Nations and Canadian law, which does not have Indigenous nor local support, nor adequate consultation. There has been misreprepresentation, which you are agreeing to let go unchallenged and in fact, rewarded. You do not have time to wait before you begin a meaningful registration of your constituents and surrounding First Nations’ objections. People who object are are your friends, neighbours and partners. This is a step backwards in reconciliation.
Agree. The Mayor is wrong. Council is free to make representations on any subject to anyone. Acting on Councillor Tower’s motion would not constitute an extra-jurisdictional act. It would simply mean advocating for the right and the good. We are dumbfounded by the lack of leadership.
As much as those of us who are opposed to the plant – for whatever reason – won’t like this result, Mayor Black does have a point. In the end, the local government as a group doesn’t have jurisdiction to tell NB Power (and American PROENERGY) no on this.
It sucks, yes, but the work is in the hands of the public, not town.
That said, I can’t imagine that – as individuals – the councillors aren’t allowed to express their objections (or support) of the idea.
There is also the “we can vote” for next election too for those who don’t follow what people believe are their positions.
The Council has jurisdiction to advocate for what is right and good. The Mayor is wrong. Council is perfectly free to urge whatever action they want or need, from both senior levels of government. This is not a question of jurisdiction. It’s a question of leadership and support for constituents.
And yet by the 5-4 vote, it seems the council feels it doesn’t have jurisdiction.
So, if they don’t, then I can see the precaution of the decision.
That doesn’t negate that the council can, as individuals, have their say.
And despite saying I can understand how the council voted, I *personally* don’t like it either. I’d much rather see them stand up against this project for most of the reasons given (ie it’s an American company, the spreading of misinformation about the Indigenous support). I’d much rather see the town deal with NB Power when they’re ready to respect the people of Tantramar, rather than think that they can do whatever they wish without the regard of residents.
But that’s personal opinion.
And if in fact council DOES have Jurisdiction here, then this is yet another example of Council not giving a damn about the region they are supposed to govern and is another tick in the box to their being voted out next election.
The first issue to be determined before statements and decisions are made is that being ” What are the legal/true/official geophonic boundaries of the Chignecto Isthmus?
The second issue is to make clear to the residents of the Tantramar Region what government departments(s) have jurisdiction over location of the NB Power Project and/or the Chignecto Isthmus?
Creditable discussions and decisions cannot take place until the correct information is not made available so people have their facts straight.
Over the past 35 years in and around the Tantramar Region there have been a number of medium and large projects completed for the benefit of the area and province. Every project have had protesters who have made ill informed statements.
Recently the Confederation Bridge celebrated it’s 25th anniversary and according to statements has been paid for and the crossing fees have been reduced. Where are those who demonstrated, made ill informed statements and predicted bad consequences would take place around the area of the bridge and the Northumberland Strait.
The same type situation took place prior to and after the Windmill project took place on the Tantramar Marshes. There was the prediction made that the flocks of birds would greatly affected when the windmills were activated. As of yet there have been no reports on the negative affects of wildlife. Some people say “cars kill more birds than windmills, (unstimulated).
The two projects mentioned are just a short list of those who make uninformed negative statements about an issue then become hard to find once the project has been completed and a benefit to the local area. The easiest job to obtain is that of an uninformed clique.
Everyone has the right to be concerned about any issue, protect our area and the right to question the process, but should express their questions based on the factual verifiable information and not something created in the local rumor mill.
The Tantramar Region is a great place to live lets make it better using the facts.
“Everyone has the right to be concerned about any issue, protect our area and the right to question the process, but should express their questions based on the factual verifiable information and not something created in the local rumor mill.”
Like that this is an American Company pushing into Canada during an era when America “needs nothing from Canada” and the relationship between the US and Canada is at a low point thanks to certain types of people who are in control of the US?
Like how both NB Power and PROENERGY have ‘misrepresented’ the claim that the Indigenous people support the project?
Like how there are questions to the Environmental evaluation of the project site?
Those are facts, Macx, not “Rumour”. And they’re substantial enough to put this entire project on pause until there are answers.
There are some out there who don’t mind being hoodwinked and told untruths, but there are some of us who don’t exactly like being led to false beliefs.
It has been only 9 years or so since our Mayor and Councillors of our Town of Sackville wrote a very heavy handed letter to Ottawa to condemn and demand that the proposed Energy East Pipeline Project be killed. That fossil fuel export pipeline project would not have been within 200 km of here.
It seems really strange, and a total flip, that our current Mayor now says that this RIGS gas/diesel fuel proposed project, that is totally within our Municipality of Tantramar, is being labeled as ‘not in our jurisdiction’.
But only recently our mayor had no problems with his public statement against a local telephone tower https://warktimes.com/2025/02/25/mayor-black-calls-on-rogers-to-reconsider-location-for-cell-tower-near-homes-downtown-pond/
Are funds being made available to track impacts on water quality related to both natural and toxic compounds as well as to monitor well capacities within the community?
Our industries, both commercial and agricultural, are major tax revenue sources and need to be protected! D. Key
Pick one:
A. Tantramar should have an irreversibly degraded environment.
or
B. Tantramar should have a clean and safe environment.
Thank you to Tantramar Councillors Butcher, Goguen, Phinney and Tower for choosing to pick B.
The present Council for the Tantramar Region should be addressing the numerous environmental issues already occurring/present within its present jurisdiction.